neither must dye nor be quenched God as he is himselfe eternall so he loues permanency and constancie of grace in vs If wee be but a flash and away God regards vs not all promises are to perseuerance Sure it is but an elementary fire that goes out that which is celestiall continues it was but some presumptuous heat in vs that decayes vpon euery occasion But he that miraculously sent downe this fire at first will not renew the miracle euery day by a like supply it began immediately from God it must bee nourished by meanes Fuell must maintaine that fire which came from Heauen God wil not work miracles euery day if he haue kindled his Spirit in vs we may not expect he shall euery day begin againe wee haue the fuell of the Word and Sacraments Prayers and Meditations which must keepe it in for euer It is from God that these helps can nourish his graces in vs like as euery flame of our materiall fire hath a concourse of prouidence but we may not expect new infusions rather know that God expects of vs an improuement of those habituall graces we haue receiued Whiles the people with feare and ioy see God lighting his owne fire fire from heauen the two sonnes of Aaron in a carelesse presumption will be seruing him with a common flame As if he might not haue leaue to choose the formes of his owne worship If this had beene done some ages after when the memory of the originall of this heauenly fire had beene worne out it might haue beene excused with ignorance but now when God had newly sent his fire from aboue newly commanded the continuance of it either to let it goe out or whiles it still flamed to fetch prophane coales to Gods Altar could sauour of no lesse then presumption and Sacriledge when we bring zeale without knowledge misconceits of faith carnall affections the deuices of our Wil-worship Superstitious Deuotions into Gods Seruice we bring common fire to his Altar these flames were neuer of his kindling Hee hates both Altar Fire Priest and Sacrifice And now behold the same fire which consumed the Sacrifice before consumes the Sacrificers It was the signe of his acceptation in consuming the beast but whiles it destroyed men the fearfull signe of his displeasure By the same meanes can God bewray both loue and hatred Wee would haue pleaded for Nadab and Abihu They are but yong-men the sonnes of Aaron not yet warme in their Function let both age and blood and inexperience excuse them as yet No pretences no priuiledges can beare off a sinne with God Men thinke either to patronize or mitigate euils by their fained reasons That no man may hope the plea either of birth or of youth or of the first commission of euill may challenge pardon I see heere yong men sonnes of the Ruler of Israel for the first offence strooke dead Yea this made God the more to stomack and the rather to reuenge this impiety because the Sonnes of Aaron did it God had both pardoned and graced their Father he had honoured them of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his Altar and now as their Father set vp a false god so they bring false fire vnto the True God If the sonnes of Infidels liue godlessely they doe their kinde their punishment shall be though iust yet lesse but if the children of religious Parents after all Christian nurture shall shame their Education God takes it more hainously and reuenges is more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect If from the Agents wee looke to the act it selfe set aside the originall descent and what difference was there betwixt these fires Both lookt alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike both were fed with the same materiall wood both vanished into smoke There was no difference but the Commandement of God If God had inioyned ordinarie fire they had sinned to looke for celestiall now he commanded onely the fire which he sent they sinned in sending vp Incense in that fire which he commanded not It is a dangerous thing in the seruice of God to decline from his owne institutions we haue to doe with a power which is wise to prescribe his owne worship iust to require what he hath prescribed powerful to reuenge that which he hath not required If God had strooke them with some Leprosie in their forehead as he did their Aunt Miriam soon after or with some palsie or lingering consumption the punishment had beene grieuous but he whose iudgements are euer iust sometimes secret saw fire the fittest reuenge for a sinne of fire his owne fire fittest to punish strange fire A sudden iudgement fit for a present and exemplarie sinne He saw that if he had winkt at this his seruice had been exposed to prophanation It is wisedome in gouernours to take sinne at the first bound and so to reuenge it that their punishments may bee preuentions Speed of death is not alwayes a iudgement suddennesse as it is euer iustly suspicable so then certainly argues anger when it finds vs in an act of sinne Leasure of repentance is an argument of fauour vvhen God giues a man Law it implyes that he would not haue iudgement surprize him Doubtlesse Aaron lookt somewhat heauily on this sad spectacle It could not but appall him to see his two sonnes dead before him dead in displeasure dead suddenly dead by the immediate hand of God And now hee could repent him of his new honour to see it succeed so ill with the sonnes of his loynes neither could hee chuse but see himselfe stricken in them But his Brother Moses that had learned not to know either Nephewes or Brother when they stood in his way to God wisely turned his eyes from the dead carkasses of his Sonnes to his respect of the liuing God My Brother this euent is fearfull but iust These were thy sonnes but they sinned it was not for God it is not for thee to looke so much who they were as what they did It was their honour and thine that they were chosen to minister before the Lord Hee that called them iustly required their Sanctification obedience If they haue prophaned God and themselues can thy naturall affection so miscary thee that thou couldest wish their impunity with the blemish of thy Maker Our sonnes are not ours if they disobey our Father to pitie their misery is to partake of their sinnes If thou grudge at their iudgement take heed lest the same fire of God come forth vpon this strange fire of nature Shew now whether thou more louest God or thy sonnes Shew whether thou be a better Father or a Sonne Aaron weighing these things holds his peace not out of an amazement or sullennesse but out of patient and humble submission and seeing Gods pleasure and their desert is content to forget that hee had sonnes He might haue had a silent tongue and a clamorous heart There is no voice louder in
the wicked and he that despiseth his waies shall die §. 3. Fidelity in performances To God To man in faithfull reproofe OR whether to God and man 1. Fidelity both first in performing that wee haue vndertaken If thou haue vowed a vow to God deferre not to pay it for hee delighteth not in fooles Ec. 5.3 Ec. 5.4 pay therefore that thou hast vowed It is better that thou shouldst not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay it Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sin Ec. 5.5 Neither say before the Angell that this is ignorance Pr. 20.25 Pr. 12.22 Pr. 28.10 Pr. 28.20 Pr. 25.19 Wherefore shall God bee angry by thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hands For It is destruction to a man to deuoure that which is sanctified and after the vowes to enquire Neither this to God onely but to man They that deale truly are his delight and the vpright shall inherit good things yea The faithfull man shall abound in blessings whereas the perfidious man as he wrongs others for Confidence in an vnfaithfull man in time of trouble Pr. 17.13 is like a broken tooth and a sliding foot so he gaineth not in the end himselfe He that rewardeth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house 2. In a faithfull reproofe Open rebuke is better than secret loue The wounds of a louer are faithfull and the kisses of an enemie are pleasant but false Pr. Pr. 15.12 Pr. 25.12 so that he that reproueth shall finde more thanke at the last and how euer the scorner take it yet he that reproueth the wise and obedient eare is as a gold eare ring and an ornament of fine gold §. 4. Truth in words The qualitie The fruit to himselfe to others The opposites 1. Lies Slander 2. Dissimulation Flatterie HE that speaketh truth will shew righteousnesse Wherein Pr. 12.17 Pr. 14.25 A faithfull Witnesse deliuereth soules but a deceiuer speaketh lies A vertue of no small importance for Death and Life are in the hand of the tongue and as a man loues Pr. 18.21 hee shall eat the fruit thereof to good or euill to himselfe others Himselfe Pr. 15.4 Pr. 12.19 Pr. 10.20 Pr. 10.21 Pr. 23.23 A wholsome tongue is as a Tree of life and the lip of truth shall be stable for euer Others The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer and the lips of the Righteous doe feed many therefore Buy the truth and sell it not as those doe which either 1. lye 2. slander 3. dissemble or 4. flatter §. 5. The lyer His fashions His manifestation His punishment A Faithfull witnesse will not lie but a false record will speake lies Of those six Pr. 14.5 Pr. 6.16 Pr. 6.17 Pr. 6.19 Pr. 19.28 Pr. 26.28 Pr. 12.19 Pr. 19.5 Pr. 12.22 Pr. 21.28 Pr. 25.18 Pr. 24.28 29. Pr. 30.7 Pr. 30.8 Pr. 19.22 yea seuen things that God hateth two are A lying tongue and a false witnesse that speaketh lies For such a one mocketh at iudgement and his mouth swallowes vp iniquitie yea a false tongue hateth the afflicted He is soone perceiued for a lying tongue varieth incontinently and when he is found A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape for the lying lips are abomination to the Lord therefore a false witnesse shall perish and who pitties him Such a one is an hammer a sword a sharpe arrow to his neighbour he deceiueth with his lips and saith I will doe to him as he hath done to me Two things then haue I required of thee denie me them not vntill I die c. Remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes Let me be a poore man rather than a lyer §. 6. The slanderer what his exercise in misreports in vnseasonable medling what his entertainment THis wicked man diggeth vp euill and in his lips is like burning fire Pr. 16.27 Pr. 16.30 Hee shutteth his eies to deuise wickednesse hee moueth his lips and bringeth euill to passe and either hee inuenteth ill rumors A righteous man hateth lying words Pr. 13.5 but the wicked causeth slander and shame Pr. 20.3 Pr. 11.13 Pr. 26.20 Pr. 18.8 or else in true reports he will be foolishly medling and goeth about discouering secrets where he that is of a faithfull heart concealeth matters and by this meanes raiseth discord Without wood the fire is quenched and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth for the words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings Ec. 7.23 and goe downe into the bowels of the belly therefore as on the one side thou mayest not giue thine heart to all that men speake of thee Pr. 25.23 left thou heare thy seruant cursing thee so on the other no countenance must be giuen to such for As the North-wind driues away raine so doth an angry countenance the slandering tongue §. 7. The dissembler of foure kinds malicious vaine-glorious couetous impenitent The flatterer his successe to himselfe to his friend his remedie Pr. 10.18 THE slanderer and dissembler goe together Hee that dissembleth hatred with lying lips Pr. 26.24 and he that inuenteth slander is a foole There is then a malicious dissembler He that hateth will counterfeit with his lips and in his heart he layeth vp deceit Pr. 26.25 Pr. 26.26 such one though he speake fauourably beleeue him not for there are seuen abominations in his heart Hatred may be couered with deceit but the malice thereof shall at last bee discouered in the congregation There is a vaine-glorious dissembler that maketh himselfe rich Pr. 13.7 Pr. 13.7 Pr. 20.24 Pr. 23.6 Pr. 23.7 and is poore and 3. a couetous There is that makes himselfe poore hauing great riches and this both 1. in bargains It is naught it is naught faith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasteth and 2. In his entertainment The man that hath an euill eie as though he thought in his heart so will he say to thee Eat and drinke Pr. 28.13 Pr. 27.14 but his heart is not with thee Lastly an impenitent Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie The flatterer praiseth his friend with a loud voice rising early in the morning but with what successe Pr. 29.5 To himselfe It shall be counted to him for a curse To his friend A man that flattereth his neighbour Pr. 26.28 Pr. 20.19 spreadeth a net for his steps he spreadeth and catcheth For a flattering mouth causeth ruine The onely remedie then is Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Ec. 7.7 for It is better to heare the rebuke of wise men than the song of fooles §. 8. Truth in dealings wherein is the true dealers Practices To doe right with ioy Reward Gods loue Good memoriall Pr. 11.3 Pr. 11.5 Pr. 15.19 Pr. 21.8 Pr. 21.3 Pr. 21.15 Pr. 10.16 Pr. 29.7 Pr. 29.10 Pr. 21.8 Pr. 3.29
Pr. 16.11 Pr. 15.9 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 28.6 Pr. 20.7 THe vprightnesse of the iust shall guide them and direct their way which is euer plaine and straight whereas the way of others is peruerted and strange Yea as to doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice so it is a ioy to the iust himselfe to doe iudgement all his labour therefore tendeth to life he knoweth the cause of the poore and will haue care of his soule His worke is right neither intendeth he any euill against his neighbour seeing he dwelleth by him without feare and what loseth he by this As the true balance and the weight are of the Lord and all the weights of the bagge are his worke So God loueth him that followeth righteousnesse and with men The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than hee that peruerteth his waies though he be rich Yea finally The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed §. 9. Deceit The kindes Coloured Direct Priuate Publike The iudgement attending it Pr. 16.18 COntrary to this is Deceit whether in a colour As he that faineth himselfe mad casteth fire-brands Pr. 26.19 arrowes and mortall things so dealeth the deceitfull man and saith Am I not in sport As this deceit is in the heart of them that imagine euill so in their hands are Diuers weights and diuers balances or directly Pr. 12.10 Pr. 10.10 Pr. 29.24 Pr. 1.19 Ec. 3.16 Ec. 3.17 Pr. 12.27 Pr. 20.17 Hee that is partner with a theefe hateth his owne soule and dangerous are the waies of him that is greedy of gaine much more publiquely I haue seene the place of iudgement where was wickednesse and the place of iustice where was iniquitie I thought in mine heart God will iudge the iust and the wicked yea oft-times speedily so as The deceitfull man rosteth not what he tooke in hunting or if he eat it The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with grauell §. 9. Loue To God rewarded with his loue with his blessings To men In passing by offences In doing good to our enemies LOue to God I loue them that loue me and they that seeke mee early Pr. 8.17 Pr. 8.21 shall finde me and with me blessings I cause them that loue mee to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures 2. To men 1. In passing by offences Pr. 10.12 Hatred stirreth vp contentions but loue couereth all trespasses and the shame that rises from them Pr. 12.16 Pr. 17.9 Pr. 15.21 so that hee onely that couereth a transgression seeketh loue 2. In doing good to our enemies If hee that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eat and if he bee thirstie giue him water to drinke Here therefore doe offend 1. the contentious 2. the enuious §. 10. The contentious whether in raising ill rumors or whether by pressing matters too farre THe first is hee that raiseth contentions among brethren which once raised Pr. 6.19 Pr. 18.19 are not so soone appeased A brother offended is harder to winne than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the barre of a Palace Pr. 16.29 This is that violent man that deceiueth his neighbour and leadeth him into the way which is not good Pr. 18.6 Pr. 26.21 the way of discord whether by ill rumors The fooles lips come with strife and as the coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife and that euen among great ones A froward person soweth strife and a tale-bearer maketh diuision among Princes or by pressing matters too farre When one churneth milke Pr. 16.28 Pr. 30.33 he bringeth forth butter and he that wringeth his nose causeth bloud to come out so he that forceth wrath bringeth forth strife the end whereof is neuer good Pr. 29.9 for if a wise man contend with a foolish man whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest §. 11. Enuy The kindes At our neighbour At the wicked The effects to others It selfe THe second is that iustice whereby the soule of the wicked wisheth euill Pr. 21.10 Pr. 24.17 and his neighbour hath no fauour in his eies that moueth him to bee glad when his enemie falleth and his heart to reioice when he stumbleth and this is a violent euill Pr. 14.30 1. To it selfe A sound heart is the life of the flesh but enuie is the rotting of the bones 2. To others Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who can stand before enuie Pr. 27.4 But of all other it is most vniust when it is set vpon an euill subiect Pr. 24.20 Pr. 3.31 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious neither be enuious at the wicked nor chuse any of his waies neither let thine heart be enuious against sinners Pr. 23.17 Pr. 24.1 Pr. 24.2 Pr. 3.32 Pr. 24.20 nor desire to be with them for as their heart imagineth destruction and their lips speake mischiefe so the froward is an abomination to the Lord and there shall be none end of the plagues of the euill man and his light shall be put out §. 12. Iustice to man onely First to others 1. in Mercy The quality The gaine of it Pr. 3.3 Pr. 21.13 Pr. 12.10 Pr. 16.6 Pr. 3.4 LEt not mercy and truth forsake thee binde them on thy necke and write them vpon the table of thine heart this suffereth not to stop thine care at the cry of the poore yea the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast no vertue is more gainfull for By mercy and truth iniquity shall bee forgiuen and By this thou shalt finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man Good reason For he honoreth God Pr. 14.31 that hath mercy on the poore yea he makes God his debter He that hath mercy on the poore Pr. 19.17 Pr. 11.17 Pr. 21.21 Pr. 14.21 lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him So that The mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule for He that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse and life and glory and therefore is blessed for euer §. 13. Against mercy offend 1. Vnmercifulnesse 2. Oppression 3. Bloud-thirstinesse Pr. 22.7 Pr. 14.20 Pr. 19.7 1. THat not only the rich ruleth the poore but that the poore is hated of his owne neighbour whereas the friends of the rich are many Of his neighbour Yea all the brethren of the poore hate him how much more will his friends depart from him though he be instant with words yet they will not Pr. 30.14 Pr. 22.16 2. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their iawes as kniues to eat vp the afflicted out of the earth These are they that oppresse the poore to increase themselues Pr. 22.22 Pr. 25.20 and giue to the rich that rob the poore because he is poore
palmes chrisme garments roses swords water salt the Pontificall solemnities of your great Master and whateuer your new mother hath besides plausible before he should see ought in all these worthy of any other entertainment then contempt Who can but disdaine that these things should procure any wise proselyte Cannot your owne memory recount those truly religious spirits which hauing fought Rome as resolued Papists haue left the world as holy Martyrs dying for the detestation of that which they came to adore Whence this They heard and magnified that which they now saw and abhorred Their fire of zeale brought them to the flames of Martyrdome Their innocent hopes promised them Religion they found nothing but a pretence promised deuotion and behold idolatry they saw hated suffered and now raigne whiles you wilfully and vnbidden will lose your soule where others meant to lose and haue found it Your zeale dies where theirs began to liue you like to liue where they would but dye They shall comfort vs for you they shall once stand vp against you While they would rather die in the heat of that fire then liue in the darknesse of their errors you rather die in the Egyptian darknesse of errors then liue in the pleasant light of Truth yea I feare rather in another fire then this Light Alas what shall we looke for of you Too late repentance or obstinate error Both miserable A Spira or a Staphylus Your friends your selfe shall wish you rather vnborne then either O thou which art the great Shepheard great in power great in mercy which leauest the ninety and nine to reduce one fetch home if thy will bee this thy forlorne charge fetch him home driue him home to thy Fold though by shame though by death Let him once recouer thy Church thou him it is enough Our common Mother I know not whether more pities your losse or disdaines thus to be robb'd of a son not for the need of you but her owne piety her owne loue For how many troops of better informed soules hath she euery day returning into her lap now breathing from their late Antichristianisme and embracing her knees vpon their owne She laments you not for that shee feares shee shall misse you but for that shee knowes you shall want her See you her teares and doe but pitty your selfe as much as she you And from your Mother Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge to descend to your Nurse Is this the fruit of such education Was not your youth spent in a society of such comely order strict gouernment wise lawes religious care it was ours yet let me praise it to your shame as may iustly challenge after all bragges either RHEMES or DOVVAY or if your Iesuits haue any other denne more cleanly and more worthy of ostentation And could you come out fresh and vnseasoned from the middest of those salt waues Could all those heauenly showres fall beside you while you like a Gedeons fleece want moisture Shall none of those diuine principles which your youth seem'd to drinke in check you in your new errors Alas how vnlike are you to your selfe to your name Iacob wrestled with an Angell and preuailed you grapple but with a Iesuit and yeeld Iacob supplanted his brother and Esau hath supplanted you Iacob changed his name for a better by a valiant resistance you by your cowardly yeelding haue lost your owne Iacob stroue with God for a blessing I feare to say it you against him for a curse for no common measure of hatred or ordinary opposition can serue a reuolter Either you must be desperately violent or suspected The mighty One of Israel for hee can doe it raise you falne returne you wandred and giue you grace at last to shame the Deuill to forsake your stepmother to acknowledge your true Parent to satisfie the world to saue your owne soule If otherwise I will say of you as Ieremy of his Israelites if not rather with more indignation My soule shall weepe in secret for your reuolt and mine eyes shall drop downe teares because one of the Lords flocke is caried away captiue To my Lord and Patrone the Lord DENNY Baron of Waltham EPIST. II. Of the contempt of the World MY Lord my tongue my pen my heart are all your seruants when you cannot heare me through distāce you must see me in my Letters You are now in the Senate of the Kingdome or in the concourse of the city or perhaps though more rarely in the royall face of the Court. All of them places fit for your place From all these let me call off your minde to her home aboue and in the midst of businesse shew you rest If I may not rather commend then admonish and before-hand confesse my counsell superfluous because your holy forwardnesse hath preuented it You can afford these but halfe of your selfe The better part is better bestowed Your soule is still retired and reserued You haue learned to vouchsafe these worldly things vse without affection and know to distinguish wisely betwixt a Stoicall dulnesse and a Christian contempt and haue long made the world not your God but your slaue And in truth that I may loose my selfe into a bold and free discourse what other respect is it worthy of I would adore it on my face if I could see any Maiesty that might command veneration Perhaps it loues me not so much as to shew me his best I haue sought it enough and haue seene what others haue doated on and wondred at their madnesse So may I looke to see better things aboue as I neuer could see ought here but vanitie and vilenesse What is fame but smoake and mettall but drosse and pleasure but a pill in suger Let some Gallants condemne this as the voice of a Melancholike Scholler I speake that which they shall feele and shall confesse Though I neuer was so I haue seen some as happy as the world could make them and yet I neuer saw any more discontented Their life hath bin neither longer nor sweeter nor their heart lighter nor their meales heartier nor their nights quieter nor their cares fewer nor their complaints Yea we haue knowne some that haue lost their mirth when they haue found wealth and at once haue ceased to be merry and poore All these earthly delights if they were sound yet how short they are and if they could bee long yet how vnsound If they were sound they are but as a good day betweene two agues or a sunne-shine betwixt two tempest And if they were long their honie is exceeded by their gall This ground beares none but maples hollow and fruitlesse or like the banks of the dead Sea a faire apple which vnder a red side containes nothing but dust Euery flower in this garden either pricks or smels ill If it be sweet it hath thornes and if it haue no thornes it annoyes vs with an ill sent Goe then ye wise idolatrous Parasites and erect shrines and offer sacrifices
there are that lurke in secret and will not be confessed How loth would we bee after all exclamations that your busie Iesuites could rake out so many confessed quarrels out of all our Authors as I haue heere found in two of yours We want onely their cunning secrecy in the carriage of our quarrels Our few and slight differences are blazoned abroad with infamy and offence their hundreds are craftily smothered in silence Let your owne eyes satisfie you in this not my pen see now what you would neuer beleeue What is it then that could thus bewitch you to forsake the comely and heauenly Truth of God and to dote vpon this beastly Strumpet to change your Religion for a ridiculous sensuall cruell irreligious faction A Religion if wee must call it so that made sport to our plaine forefathers with the remembrance of her grauest deuotions How oft haue you seene them laugh at themselues whiles they haue told of their creeping-crouch kissing the Pax offering their Candles signing with Ashes partiall Shrifts merry Pilgrimages ridiculous Miracles and a thousand such May-games which now you begin after this long hissing at to looke vpon soberly and with admiration A Religion whose fooleries very Boyes may shout and laugh at if for no more but this that it teaches men to put confidence in Beades Medals Roses hallowed Swords Spels of the Gospell Agnes Dei and such like idle bables ascribing vnto them Diuine vertue yea so much as is due to the Sonne of God himselfe and his precious bloud I speake not of some rude Ignorants your very Booke of holy-ceremonies shall teach you what your holy-fathers doe and haue done That tels you first with great allowance and applause that Pope VRBAN the fift sent three Agnes Dei to the Greeke Emperor with these verses Balsam pure wax and Chrismes-liquor cleere Balsamus munda cerae cum Chrismatis vnda conficiunt AgnuÌ„ quod munus de tibi magnuÌ„ c. Fulgura de coelo c. Peccatum frangit vt Christi sanguis angit c. Sacr. Cerem lib. 1. Vt ea quae in hoc equaruÌ„ vesculo praeparato ad nominis tui gloriaÌ„ infundere decreuimê° benedicas quatenus ipsoruÌ„â— veneratione honore nobis famulis tuis crimina diluantur abster gentur maculae peccatorum iâ—petrentur veniae gratia conferantur vt tandem vna cum sanctis electis tuis vitam percipere mereaâ—ur aeternam Fran. a Victoria Ordin Praedicatorum Sum. Sacram art 184. p. 204. Sed quod faciet Confessor cum interrogatur de peccato c. Respondes secundum omnes quod sic Sed fac quod Index aut praelatus ex malitia exigat à me iuramentuÌ„ an sciam in Confessione Respondeo quod coactus iuret se nescire in confessura quia intelligitur senescire ad reuelandum aut taliter quod possit dicere Make vp this pretious Lambe I send thee heere All lightning it dispels and each ill spright Remedies stone and makes the heart contrite Euen as the bloud that Christ for vs did shed It helps the child-beds paine and giues good speed Vnto the birth Great gifts it still doth win To all that weare it and that worthy bin It quels the rage of fire and cleanely bore It brings from shipwracke safely to the shore And lest you should plead this to be the conceite of some one Phantasticall Pope heare and be ashamed out of the same Booke what by prescription euery Pope vseth to pray in the blessing of the water which serues for that Agnus Dei If you know not thus he prayeth That it would please thee O God to blesse those things which we purpose to powre into this Vessell of water prepared to the glory of thy Name so as by the worship and honour of them we thy seruants may haue our heynous offences done away the blemishes of our sinnes wip't off and thereby we may obtaine pardon and receiue grace from thee so that at the last with thy Saints and Elect Children we may merit to obtaine euerlasting life Amen How could you choose but be in loue with this Superstition Magicke Blasphemie practised and maintained by the heads of your Church A Religion that allowes iuggling Equiuocations and reserued senses euen in very oathes Besides all that hath bin shamelesly written by our Iesuites to this purpose Heare what Franciscus Victoria an ingenuous Papist and a learned Reader of Diuinitie in Salmantica writes in the name of all But what shall a Confessor doe saith he if he be askt of a sin that he hath heard in Confession May he say that he knowes not of it I answere according to all our Doctors that he may But what if hee be compelled to sweare I say that he may and ought to sweare that he knowes it not for that it is vnderstood that he knowes it not besides confession and so he sweares true But say that the Iudge or Prelate shall maliciously require of him vpon his oath whether he know it in confession or no I answer that a man thus vrged may still sweare that he knowes it not in confession for that it is vnderstood he knowes it not to reueale it or so as he may tell Who teach and doe thus in anothers case iudge what they would doe in their owne O wise cunning and holy periuries vnknowne to our fore-fathers A Religion that allowes the buying and selling of sins of Pardons of soules so as now Purgatory can haue no rich men in it but fooles and friendlesse Deuils are Tormenters there as themselues hold from many Reuelations of Bede Bernard Carthusian yet Men can command Deuils and money can command men A Religion that relies wholy vpon the infallibilitie of those whom yet they grant haue bin and may be monstrous in their liues and dispositions How many of those heyres of PETER by confession of their owne Records by Bribes by Whores by Deuils haue climed vp into that chaire Yet to say that those men which are confessed to haue giuen their soules to the Deuil that they might be Popes can erre while they are Popes is Heresie worthy of a stake and of Hell A Religion that hood-winks the poore Laitie in forced ignorance lest they should know Gods will or any way to Heauen but theirs so as millions of soules liue no lesse without Scripture than as if there were none that forbids spirituall food as poyson and fetches Gods Booke into the Inquisition A Religion that teaches men to worship stockes and stones with the same honour that is due to their Creator which practise lest it should apeare to her simple Clyents how palpably opposite it is to the second Commandement they haue discreetly left out those words of Gods Law as a needlesse illustration in their Catechismes and Prayer Bookes of the vulgar A Religion that vtterly ouerthrowes the true humanitie of Christ while they giue vnto it tenne thousand places at once and yet no place flesh and no flesh
and bids thee with the Prophet Set thine house in order for thou must dye Yet if he heare thee not goe to the vnder-bayliffe of Death disease see if he can be wrought to forbeare thee hee answers thee with Laban This thing is proceeded of the Lord I cannot therefore say to thee euill or good In summe Disease vvill summon thee vnto death death will arrest thee to the Iudgement seat of God God vvill passe his doome vpon thee and in all these Riches auaile not in the day of wrath And vvho vvould be so mad as to trust a friend that hee knowes will be sure neuer to faile him but vvhen he hath most need Take heed therefore as ye loue your soules how ye bestow your Trust vpon riches Ye may vse them and serue your selues of them yea yee may enioy them in a Christian moderation God vvill allow it you That praise vvhich the Iesuites Colledge at Granado giues of their SancheZ Collegium Granatense Praef ad lectorem contin vitam R.P. Tho. Sanchez praefix Operi Morali in praecepta Decal that though he liued where they had a very sweet garden yet he was neuer seen to touch a flower and that he would rather dye then eate Salt or Pepper or ought that might giue rellish to his meat like as that of some other Monks that they would not see the Sunne not shift their cloathes nor cleanse their teeth caries in it more superstition and austeritie and slouenry then vvit or grace Wherefore hath God made his creatures but for vse This niggardlinesse is iniurious to the bounty of their Maker we may vse them we may not trust to them we may serue our selues of them wee may not serue them we may enioy them we may not ouer-ioy in them so must wee be affected to our goods C. Sol. Apollin Sidon Epist de Theoder as Theoderic the good King of Aquitaine vvas with his play In bonis iactibus tacet in malis ridet in neutris irascitur in vtrisque Philosophatur In good casts hee was silent in ill merry in neither angry a Philosopher in both But if we will be making our wealth a riuall vnto God now the iealousie of God shall burne like fire this is the way to bring a curse vpon our riches and vs if we leane vpon this reede it shall breake and runne into our hand and he that trusteth in riches shall fall Prou. 11.28 Now as the disdainfull riuall will bee sure to cast reproaches vpon his base competitor In vncertaine riches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doth God that we may see how vnworthy riches are of our trust hee tels vs they are vncertaine yea vncertaintie it selfe Were our vvealth tyed to our life it were vncertaine enough what is that but a flower a vapour a tale a dreame a shadow a dreame of a shadow a thought as nothing What are great men but like Hailestones that leape vp on the Tiles and straight fall down againe and lye still and melt away But now as wee are certaine that our riches determine vvith our vncertaine life for goods and life are both in a bottome both are cast away at once so wee cannot bee certaine they vvill hold so long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil in Psal 61. Our life flyes hastily away but many times our riches haue longer wings and out-fly it It vvas a vvitty obseruation of Basil that vvealth roles along by a man like as an heady streame glides by the bankes Time will molder away the very banke it washeth but the current stayes not for that but speeds forward from one elbow of earth vnto another so doth our wealth euen while wee stay it is gone In our penall lawes there are more wayes to forfeit our goods then our liues On our high wayes how many fauourable theeues take the purse and saue life And generally our life is the tree our vvealth is the leaues or fruit the tree stands still when the leaues are falne the fruit beaten downe Yea many a one is like the Pine-tree which they say if his barke be pull'd off lasts long else it rots so doth many a man liue the longer for his losses if therefore life and wealth striue whether is more vncertaine wealth vvill sure carie it away Iob was yesterday the richest man in the East to day he is so needie that hee is gone into a prouerbe As poore as Iob Belisarius the great and famous Commander to whom Rome owed her life twice at least came to Date obolum Belisario one halfe-peny to Belisarius What doe I instance This is a point wherein many of you Citizens that are my Auditors this day might rather reade a lecture vnto me You could tell me how many you haue knowne reputed in your phrase good men which all on the sudden haue shut vp the shop windows and broken for thousands You could reckon vp to me a Catalogue of them vvhom either casualtie of fire or inundation of waters or robberie of theeues or negligence of seruants or suretiship for friends or ouersight of reckonings or trusting of customers or vnfaithfulnesse of Factors or inexpected falls of markets or Pyracie by Sea or vnskilfulnesse of a Pylot or violence of tempests haue brought to an hasty pouertie and could tell me that it is in the power of one gale of winde to make many of you either rich Merchants or beggers Oh miserable vncertaintie of this earthly pelse that stands vpon so many hazards yea that fals vnder them who would trust it who can dote vpon it what madnesse is it in those men which as Menot sayes like vnto hunters that kill an horse of price in the pursuit of an Hare worth nothing endâ—nger yea cast away their soules vpon this worthlesse and sickle trash Glasses are pleasing vessels yet because of their brittlenesse who esteemes them precious All Salomons state was not comparable to one Tulip his royall Crowne was not like the Crowne Imperiall of our Gardens and yet because these are but flowers whose destinie is fading and burning we regard them thereafter No wise man bestowes much cost in painting mud-wals What meane we my beloued to spend our liues and hearts vpon these perishing treasures It was a wise meditation of Nazianzen to his Asterius that good is to no purpose if it continue not yea there is no pleasant thing in the world saith he that hath so much ioy in the welcome as it hath sorrow in the farewell Looke therefore vpon these heapes O ye wise-hearted Citizens with carelesse eyes as those things whose parting is certaine whose stay is vncertaine and say with that worthy Father By all my wealth and glory and greatnesse this alone haue I gained that I had something to which I might preferre my Sauiour And know that as Abraham whiles he was in his owne countrey it is Cyrils note had neuer God appearing to him saue onely to bid him goe forth but after when hee
yea without dimention of matter was truly admirable Doubtlesse he went oft about it and viewed it on all sides and now when his eie and mind could vntâ—â— with no likely causes so far off resolues I will goe see it His curiosity led him neeres and what could hee see but a bush and a flame which he saw at first vnsatisfied It is good to come to the place of Gods presence howsoeuer God may perhaps speak to thy heart though thou come but for nouelty Euen those which haue come vpon curiosity haue beene oft taken Absence is without hope If Moses had not come he had not beene called out of the bush To see a fire not consuming the bush was much but to heare a speaking fire this was more and to heare his owne name out of the mouth of the fire it was most of all God makes way for his greatest messages by astonishment and admiration as on the contrary carelesnesse caries vs to a meere vnproficiency vnder the best meanes of God If our hearts were more awfull Gods messages would be more effectuall to vs. In that appearance God meant to call Moses to come yet when he is come inhibits him Come not hither We must come to God we must not come too nere him When we meditate of the great mysteries of his word we come to him we come too neere him when we search into his counsels The Sun and the fire say of themselues Come not too neare how much more the light which none can attaine vnto We haue all our limits set vs The Gentiles might come into some outter courts not into the inmost The Iewes might come into the inner Court not into the Temple the Priests and Leuites into the Temple not into the Holy of Holies Moses to the Hill not to the Bush The waues of the Sea had not more need of bounds then mans presumption Moses must not come close to the bush at all and where he may stand he may not stand with his shooes on There is no vnholinesse in clothes God prepared them for man at first and that of skins lest any exception should be taken at the hides of dead beasts The rite was significant What are the shooes but worldly and carnall affections If these be not cast off when we come to the holy place we make our selues vnholy how much lesse should we dare to come with resolutions of sinne This is not onely to come with shooes on but with shooes bemired with wicked filthinesse the touch whereof pro-the pauement of God and makes our presence odious Moses was the Sonne of Amram Amram of Kohath Kohath of Leui Leui of Iacob Iacob of Isaac Isaac of Abraham God puts together both ends of his pedigree I am the God of thy father and of Abraham Isaac Iacob If he had said onely I am thy God it had beene Moses his duty to attend awfully but now that he sayes I am the God of thy Father and of Abraham c. He challenges reuerence by prescription Any thing that was our Ancesters pleases vs their Houses their Vessels their Cotâ— armour How much more their God How carefull should Parents be to make holy choices Euery president of theirs are so many monuments and motiues to their posterity What an happinesse it is to be borne of good Parents hence God claimes an interest in vs and wee in him for their sake As many a man smarteth for his fathers sinne so the goodnesse of others is crowned in a thousand generations Neither doth God say I was the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob but I am The Patriarkes still liue after so many thousand yeares of dissolution No length of time can separate the soules of the iust from their Maker As for their body there is still a reall relation betwixt the dust of it and the soule and if the being of this part be more defectiue the being of the other is more liuely and doth more then recompence the wants of that earthly halfe God could not describe himselfe by a more sweet name then if his I am the God of thy father and of Abraham c. yet Moses hides his face for feare If he had said I am the glorious God that made heauen and earth that dwell in light inaccessible whom the Angels cannot behold or I am God the auenger iust and terrible a consuming fire to mine enemies here had beene iust cause of terror But why was Moses so frighted with a familiar compellation God is no lesse awfull to his owne in his very mercies Great is thy mercy that thou mayst be feared for to them no lesse maiesty shines in the fauours of God then in his iudgements and iustice The wicked heart neuer feares God but thundring or shaking the earth or raining fire from heauen but the good can dread him in his very sunne-shine his louing deliuerances blessings affect them with awfulnesse Moses was the true son of Iacob who when he saw nothing but visions of loue mercy could say How dreadfull is this places I see Moses now at the bush hiding his face at so milde a representation hereafter we shall see him in this very Mount betwixt heauen and earth in Thunder Lightning Smoke Earth-quakes speaking mouth to mouth with God bare faced and fearlesse God was then more terrible but Moses was lesse strange This was his first meeting with God further acquaintance makes him familiar and familiarity makes him bold Frequence of conuersation giues vs freedome of accesse to God and makes vs powre out our hearts to him as fully and as fearlesly as to our friends In the meane time now at first he made not so much haste to see but he made as much to hide his eies Twice did Moses hide his face once for the glory which God put vpon him which made him so shine that he could not bee beheld of others once for Gods owne glory which hee could not behold No maruell Some of the creatures are too glorious for mortall eies how much more when God appeares to vs in the easiest manner must his glory needs ouercome vs Behold the difference betwixt our present and future estate Then the more Maiesty of appearance the more delight when our sin is quite gone all our feare at Gods presence shall be turned into ioy God appeared to Adam before his sin with comfort but in the same forme which after his sin was terrible And if Moses cannot abide to looke vpon Gods glory when he descends to vs in mercy how shall wicked ones abide to see his fearfull presence when he sets vpon vengeance In this fire he flamed and consumed not but in his reuenge our God is a consuming fire First Moses hides himselfe in feare now in modesty Who am I None in all Aegypt or Midian was comparably fit for this embassage Which of the Israelites had bin brought vp a Courtier a Scholler an Israelite by blood by education an Aegyptian learned wise valiant
the eares of God then a speechlesse repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward He knew how little he should get by brawling with God If he breathed our discontentment he saw God could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently and humbly and contentedly to rest the heart in the iustice and wisedome of Gods proceeding and to bee so farre from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and though shee well knowes we meddle not with our match when we striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and dye If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Masters wee may not answer againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must be our mouth else as mothers doe their children God shall whip vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-heartednesse and piety There Aaron sees his sonnes lye he may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shead a teare for their death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sonnes dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet who can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is worthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to deny nature that he must more magnifie the iustice of God then lament the iudgement Those whom God hath called to his immediate seruice must know that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe be seasonable it becomes a funerall And if Nadab and Abihu had dyed in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorrow of their Father and Brethren for when God forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead hee excepts the cases of this neernesse of blood Now all Israel may mourne for these two only the Father and Brethren may not God is iealous lest their sorrow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of God must be applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the Father and Brother may not doe the Cousins are commanded dead carkasses are not for the presence of God His iustice was shewne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the Sanctuary Neither are they caried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israel to see a linnen Ephod vpon the Beere The iudgement was so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either more pleasing vnto God or more commodious to men then that when he hath executed iudgement it should bee seene and wondred at for therefore he strikes some that he may warne all Of AARON and MIRIAM THe Israelites are stayed seuen dayes in the station of Hazzeroth for the punishment of Miriam The sinnes of the gouernors are a iust stop to the people all of them smart in one all must stay the leasure of Miriams recouerie Whosoeuer seekes the Land of Promise shall finde many lets Amalek Og Schon and the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel these resisted but hindred not their passage their sinnes onely stay them from remouing Afflictions are not crosses to vs in the way to heauen in comparison to our sinnes What is this I see Is not this Aaron that was brother in nature and by office ioynt Commissioner with Moses Is not this Aaron that made his Brother an Intercessor for him to God in the case of his Idolatry Is not this Aaron that climbed vp the Hill of Sinai with Moses Is not this Aaron whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto God Is not this Miriam the elder Sister of Moses Is not this Miriam that led the Triumph of the Women and sung gloriously to the Lord It not this Miriam which layd her Brother Moses in the Reeds and fetcht her Mother to be his Nurse Both Prophets of God both the flesh and blood of Moses And doth this Aaron repine at the honor of him which gaue himselfe that honour and saued his life Doth this Miriam repine at the prosperity of him whose life she saued Who would not haue thought this should haue beene their glory to haue seene the glory of their owne Brother What could haue beene a greater comfort to Miriam then to thinke How happily doth he now sit at the Sterne of Israel whom I saued from perishing in a Boat of Bul-rushes It is to mee that Israel owes this Commander But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature nor the honour of Gods choyce Miriam and Aaron are in mutiny against Moses Who is so holy that sinnes not What sinne is so vnnaturall that the best can auoyde without God But what weaknesse soeuer may plead for Miriam who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes Of late I saw him caruing the molten Image and consecrating an Altar to a false god now I see him seconding an vnkind mutiny against his Brother Both sinnes find him accessary neither principall It was not in the power of the legall Priesthood to performe or promise innocency to her Ministers It was necessary wee should haue another high Priest which could not bee tainted That King of righteousnesse was of another order He being without sinne hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of men Whom can it now offend to see the blemishes of the Euangelicall Priesthood when Gods first high Priest is thus miscaried Who can looke for loue and prosperity at once when holy and meeke Moses finds enmity in his owne flesh and blood Rather then we shall want A mans enemies shall be those of his owne house Authority cannot fayle of opposition if it be neuer so mildly swayed that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome To doe well and heare ill is Princely The Midianitish wife of Moses cost him deare Before she hazarded his life now the fauour of his people Vnequall matches are seldome prosperous Although now this scandall was onely taken Enuy was not wise enough to choose a ground of the quarrell Whether some secret and emulatory brawles passed between Zipporah and Miriam as many times these sparkes of priuate brawles grow into a perillous and common flame or whether now that Iethro and his family was ioyned with Israel there were surmises of transporting the Gouernment to strangers or whether this vnfit choice of Moses is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him Euen in fight the exceptions were
looked to Gods hand for right Our fâ—ines exclude vs from Gods protection whereas vprightnesse challenges and findes his patronage An Affe taken had made him vncapable of fauour Corrupt Gouernors lose the comfort of their owne brest and the tuition of God The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators prayes for the people As lewd men thinke to carie it with number Corah had so farre preuailed that hee had drawne the multitude to his side God the auenger of treasons would haue consumed them all at once Moses and Aaron pray for their Rebels Although they were worthy of death and nothing but death could stop their mouths yet their mercifull Leaders will not buy their owne peace with the losse of such enemies Oh rare and imitable mercy The people rise vp against their Gouernors Their Gouernors fall on their faces to God for the people so farre are they from plotting reuenge that they will not endure God should reuenge for them Moses knew well enough that all those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse God had vowed it for their former insurrection yet how earnestly doth hee sue to God not to consume them at once The very respit of euils is a fauour next to the remouall Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fifty Captaines brought sticks to it All Israel warmed themselues by it onely the incendiaries perish Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them whose death they intended God and Moses knew to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction and the traine though neither be faultlesse yet the one is plagued the other forgiuen Gods vengeance when it is at the hotest makes differences of men Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah Euer before common iudgements there is a separation In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth the Iudge himselfe will separate in these particular executions we must separate our selues The societie of wicked men especially in their sinnes is mortally dangerous whiles we will not be parted how can wee complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation Our very company sinnes with them why should wee not smart with them also Moses had well hoped that when these Rebels should see all the Israelites run from them as from monsters and looking affrightedly vpon their Tents and should heare that fearfull Proclamation of vengeance against them howsoeuer they did before set a face on their conspiracie yet now their hearts would haue misgiuen But lo these bold Traitors stand impudently staring in the doore of their Tents as if they would outface the reuenge of God As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them As if no one Israelite had euer bled for rebelling Those that shall perish are blinded Pride and infidelitie obdures the heart and makes euen cowards fearlesse So soone as the innocent are seuered the guilty perish the earth cleaues and swallowes vp the Rebels This element was not vsed to such morsels It deuoures the carkasses of men but bodies informed with liuing soules neuer before To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth had been fearfull but to see the earth at once their executioner and graue was more horrible Neither the Sea nor the Earth are fit to giue passage The Sea is moist and flowing and will not be diuided for the continuitie of it The earth is dry and massie and will neither yeeld naturally not meet againe when it hath yeelded yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel for their preseruation the earth did cleaue to giue way to the Conspirators in iudgement Both Sea and Earth did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of God There was more wonder in this latter It was a maruell that the waters opened it was no wonder that they shut againe for the retiring and flowing was naturall It was no lesse maruell that the earth opened but more maruell that it did shut againe because it had no naturall disposition to meet when it was diuided Now might Israel see they had to doe with a God that could reuenge with ease There were two sorts of Traitors the Earth swallowed vp the one the Fire the other All the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their Maker Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but vnfit fire to God these Leuites bring the right fire but vnwarranted persons before him Fire from God consumes both It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions The ministerie will not grace the man The man may disgrace the ministerie The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flattering perswasion before as now they ranne from the sight and feare of his iudgement I maruell not if they could not trust that earth whereon they stood whiles they knew their hearts had been false It is a madnesse to run away from punishment and not from sinne Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. The Brazen Serpent Balaam Phinehas The death of Moses BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY RIGHT HONOVRABLE RELIGIOVS AND BOVNTIFVLL PATRONE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF WALTHAM THE CHIEFE COMFORT OF MY LABOVRS J. H. WISHETH ALL TRVE HAPPINESSE AND DEDICATES THIS PART OF HIS MEDITATIONS Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE AARONS Censer and Rod. WHen shall wee see an end of these murmurings and these iudgements Because these men rose vp against Moses and Aaron therefore God consumed them and because God consumed them therefore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron and now because the people thus murmure God hath againe begun to consume them What a circle is here of sinnes and iudgements Wrath is gone out from God Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at the setting out By how much more faithfull and familiar wee are with God so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements as those which are well acquainted with men know by their lookes and gestures that which strangers vnderstand but by their actions As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their Watch-tower descried the iudgements of God afarre off If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand-breadth he could not haue told Ahab he should be wet It is enough for Gods Messengers out of their acquaintance with their Masters proceedings to fore-see punishment No maruell if those see it not which are wilfully sinfull we men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espy it Moses though he were great with God yet hee takes not vpon him this reconciliation he may aduise Aaron what to do himselfe vndertakes not to act it It is the worke of the Priesthood to make an atonement for the people Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh now he is the peoples tongue to God he onely must offer vp the incense of the publike prayers to God Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his
hand yet if any other had done it he had falne with the dead and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead in stead of the smoke ascending the fire had descended vpon him And shall there be lesse vse or lesse regard of the Euangelicall ministerie then the Legall When the world hath powred out all his contempt wee are they that must reconcile men to God and without vs they perish I know not whether more to maruell at the courage or mercy of Aaron His mercy that hee would yet saue so rebellious a people his courage that hee would saue them with so great a danger of himselfe For as one that would part a fray he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of God and puts it to the choice of the reuenger whether hee will smite him or forbeare the rest Hee stands boldly betwixt the liuing and the dead as one that will either dye with them or haue them liue with him the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayed him not he that before feared the threats of the people now feares not the strokes of God It is not for Gods Ministers to stand vpon their owne perils in the common causes of the Church Their prayers must oppose the iudgements of the Almighty When the fire of Gods anger is kindled their Censers must smoke with fire from the Altar Euery Christian must pray for the remouall of vengeance how much more they whom God hath appointed to mediate for his people Euery mans mouth is his owne but they are the mouths of all Had Aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands I doubt whether he had preuailed now this Censer was his protection When we come with supplications in our hands we need not feare the strokes of God Wee haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers with fauour and successe So soone as the incense of Aaron ascended vp vnto God he smelt a sauour of rest he will rather spare the offenders then strike their intercessor How hardly can any people miscary that haue faithfull Ministers to sue for their safety Nothing but the smoke of hearty prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of God If Aarons sacrifice were thus accepted how much more shall the High-Priest of the New Testament by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his Father deliuer the offenders from death The plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men O Sauiour thou stood'st betwixt the liuing and the dead that all which beleeue in thee should not perish Aaron offered and was not stricken but thou O Redeemer wouldest offer and be strooke that by thy stripes we might be healed So stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing that thou wert both aliue and dead and all this that we when we were dead might liue for euer Nothing more troubled Israel then a feare left the two brethren should cunningly ingrosse the gouernment to themselues If they had done so what wise men would haue enuied them an office so little worth so dearly purchased But because this conceit was euer apt to stir them to rebellion and to hinder the benefit of this holy souerainty therefore God hath endeuoured nothing more then to let them see that these officers whom they so much enuied were of his owne proper institution They had scarce shut their eyes since they saw the confusion of those two hundred and fifty vsurping sacrificers and Aarons effectuall intercession for staying the plague of Israel In the one the execution of Gods vengeance vpon the competitors of Aaron for his sake In the other the forbearance of vengeance vpon the people for Aarons mediation might haue challenged their voluntary acknowledgement of his iust calling from God If there had beene in them either awe or thankfulnesse they could not haue doubted of his lawfull supremacie How could they choose but argue thus Why would God so fearfully haue destroyed the riuals that durst contest with Aaron if he would haue allowed him any equall Wherefore serue those plates of the Altar which we see made of those vsurped Censers but to warne all posteritie of such presumption Why should God cease striking whiles Aaron interposed betwixt the liuing and the dead if he were but as one of vs Which of vs if wee had stood in the plague had not added to the heape Incredulous minds will not be perswaded with any euidence These two brothers had liued asunder forty yeeres God makes thē both meet in one office of deliuering Israel One halfe of the miracles were wrought by Aaron he strooke with the rod whiles it brought those plagues on Egypt The Israelites heard God call him vp by name to mount Sinai They saw him anointed from God and lest they should thinke this a set match betwixt the brethren they saw the earth opening the fire issuing from God vpon their emulous opposites they saw his smoke a sufficient antidote for the plague of God and yet still Aarons calling is questioned Nothing is more naturall to euery man then vnbeliefe but the earth neuer yeelded a people so strongly incredulous as these and after so many thousand generations their children doe inherite their obstinacie still doe they oppose the true High-Priest the Anointed of God sixteene hundred yeares desolation hath not drawne from them to confesse him whom God hath chosen How desirous was God to giue satisfaction euen to the obstinate There is nothing more materiall then that men should bee assured their spirituall guides haue their Comission and Calling from God The want whereof is a preiudice to our successe It should not be so but the corruption of men will not receiue good but from due messengers Before God wrought miracles in the Rod of Moses now in the rod of Aaron As Pharaoh might see himselfe in Moseses rod who of a rod of defence and protection was turned into a venemous Serpent So Israel might see themselues in the rod of Aaron Euery Tribe and euery Israelite was of himselfe as a sere-sticke without life without sap and if any one of them had power to liue and flourish hee must acknowledge it from the immediate power and gift of God Before Gods calling all men are alike Euery name is alike written in their Rod there is no difference in the letters in the wood neither the characters of Aaron are fayrer nor the staffe more precious It is the choise of God that makes the distinction So it is in our calling of Christianitie All are equally deuoid of possibility of grace all equally liuelesse by nature we are all sonnes of wrath If we be now better then others who separated vs We are all Crabstocks in this Orchard of God he may graffe what fruit he pleases vpon vs onely the grace and effectuall calling of God makes the difference These twelue Heads of Israel would neuer haue written their names in their rods but in hope they might be chosen to this dignitie What an honour was this Priesthood whereof all the Princes of Israel are
vs. Gideon cannot conceiue of himselfe as an exempt person but puts himselfe among the throng of Israel as one that could not be sensible of any particular comfort while the common case of Israel laboured The maine care of a good heart is still for the publike neither can it enioy it selfe while the Church of God is distressed As faith drawes home generalities so charity diffuses generalities from it selfe to all Yet the valiant man was here weake weake in faith weake in discourse whiles hee argues Gods absence by affliction his presence by deliuerances and the vnlikelihood of successe by his owne disability all grosse inconsequences Rather should he haue inferred Gods presence vpon their correction for wheresoeuer God chastises there he is yea there he is in mercy Nothing more proues vs his then his stripes he will not bestow whipping where he loues not Fond nature thinkes God should not suffer the winde to blow vpon his deare ones because her selfe makes this vse of her owne indulgence but none out of the place of torment haue suffered so much as his dearest children He saies not we are Idolaters therfore the Lord hath forsaken vs because we haue forsaken him This sequell had been as good as the other was faultie The Lord hath deliuered vs vnto the Midianites therefore he hath forsaken vs Sinnes not afflictions argue God absent Whiles Gideon bewrayeth weaknes God both giues him might and imployes it Goe in this thy might and saue Israel Who would not haue looked that God should haue looked angerly on him and chid him for his vnbeliefe But he whose mercy will not quench the weakest fire of grace though it be but in flax lookes vpon him with compassionate eyes and to make good his owne word giues him that valour he had acknowledged Gideon had not yet said Lord deliuer Israel much lesse had he said Lord deliuer Israel by my hand The mercy of God preuents the desire of Gideon if God should not begin with vs we should be euer miserable if he should not giue vs till we aske yet who should giue vs to aske if his Spirit did not worke those holy grones and sighes in vs we should neuer make sute to God He that commonly giues vs power to craue sometimes giues vs without crauing that the benifit might be so much more welcome by how much lesse it was expected we so much more thankfull as he is more forward When he bids vs aske it is not for that hee needs to be intreated but that he may make vs more capeable of blessings by desiring them And where he sees feruent desires he stayes not for words and he that giues ere we aske how much more will he giue when we aske He that hath might enough to deliuer Israel yet hath not might enough to keepe himselfe from doubting The strongest faith will euer haue some touch of infidelity And yet this was not so much a distrust of the possibility of deliuering Israel as an inquiry after the meanes Whereby shall I saue Israel The salutation of the Angell to Gideon was as like to Gabriels salutation of the blessed Virgin as their answeres were like Both Angels brought newes of deliuerance both were answered with a question of the meanes of performance with a report of the difficulties in performing Ah my Lord whereby shall I saue Israel How the good man disparages himselfe It is a great matter O Lord thou that speakest of and great actions require mighty Agents As for me who am I My Tribe is none of the greatest in Israel My Fathers family is one of the meanest in his Tribe and I the meanest in his family Pouerty is a sufficient barre to great enterprises Whereby shall I Humility is both a signe of following glory and a way to it and an occasion of it Bragging and height of spirit will not carry it with God None haue euer been raised by him but those which haue formerly deiected themselues None haue been confounded by him that haue been abased in themselues Thereupon it is that he addes I will therefore bee with thee as if he had answered Hadst thou not been so poore in thy self I would not haue wrought by thee How should God be magnified in his mercies if we were not vnworthy How should hee be strong if not in our weakenesse All this while Gideon knew not it was an Angell that spake with him He saw a man stand before him like a Traueller with a staffe in his hand The vnusualnesse of those reuelations in those corrupted times was such that Gideon might thinke of any thing rather then an Angell No maruell if so strange a promise from an vnknowne messenger found not a perfect assent Faine would hee beleeue but faine would hee haue good warrant for his faith In matters of faith we cannot goe vpon too sure grounds As Moses therefore being sent vpon the same errand desired a signe whereby Israel might know that God sent him So Gideon desires a signe from this bearer to know that his newes is from God Yet the very hope of so happy newes not yet ratified stirres vp in Gideon both ioy and thankfulnesse After all the iniury of the Midianites he was not so poore but hee could bestow a Kid cakes vpon the Reporter of such tidings Those which are rightly affected with the glad newes of our spirituall deliuerance studie to shew their louing respects to the messengers The Angell stayes for the repairing of Gideons feast Such pleasure doth God take in the thankfull indeuours of his seruants that he patiently waites vpon the leysure of our performances Gideon intended a dinner the Angell turned it into a sacrifice He whose meat and drinke it was to doe his Fathers will cals for the broth and flesh to be powred out vpon the stone And when Gideon lookt he should haue blessed and eaten he touches the feast with his staffe and consumes it with fire from the stone and departed He did not strike the stone with his staffe for the attrition of two hard bodies would naturally beget fire but he touched the meat and brought fire from the stone And now whiles Gideon saw and wondred at the spirituall act he lost the sight of the Agent He that came without intreating would not haue departed without taking leaue but that he might increase Gideons wonder and that his wonder might increase his faith His salutation therefore was not so strange as his farewell Moses touched the rocke with his staffe and brought forth water and yet a man and yet continued with the Israelites This messenger touches the stone with his staffe and brings forth fire and presently vanishes that he may approue himselfe a spirit And now Gideon when head had gathered vp himselfe must needs thinke He that can raise fire out of a stone can raise courage and power out of my dead breast He that by this fire hath consumed the broth and flesh can by the feeble flame of
for his birth The Citie was doubtlesse still full of that rumor and little thinkes that he whom they talke of was so neere them From thence they are at least in their way to Nazareth where they purpose their abode God preuents them by his Angell and sends them for safety into Egypt Ioseph was not wont to bee so full of visions It was not long since the Angell appeared vnto him to iustifie the innocency of the mother and the Deity of the Sonne now hee appeares for the preseruation of both and a preseruation by flight Could Ioseph now choose but thinke Is this the King that must saue Israel that needs to be saued by me If he be the Sonne of God how is he subiect to the violence of men How is he Almighty that must saue himselfe by flight or how much he flie to saue himselfe out of that land which he comes to saue But faithfull Ioseph hauing beene once tutored by the Angell and hauing heard what the wise-men said of the Starre which Simeon and Anna said in the Temple labours not so much to reconcile his thoughts as to subiect them and 〈◊〉 oâ—â— that knew it safer to suppresse doubts than to assoile them can beleeue what he vnderstandâ— not and can wonder where he cannot comprehend Oh strange condition of the King of all the world He could not be borne in a baseâ— estate yet euen this he cannot enioy with safety There was no roome for him in Bethleem there will bee no roome for him in Iudea He is no sooner come to his owne than he must flie from them that hee may saue them hee must auoide them Had it not beene easie for theâ— O Sauiour to haue acquit thy selfe from Herod a thousand waies What could an arme of flesh haue done against the God of spirits What had it beene for thee to haue sent Herod fiue yeeres sooner vnto his place what to haue commanded fire from heauen on those that should haue come to apprehend thee or to haue bidden the earth to receiue them aliue whom she meant to swallow dead Wee suffer misery because we must thou because thou wouldest The same will that brought thee from heauen into earth sends thee from Iury to Egypt as thou wouldst bee borne meane and miserable so thou wouldst liue subiect to humane vexations that thou which hast taught vs how good it is to beare the yoake euen in our youth mightst sanctifie to vs early afflictions Or whether O Father since it was the purpose of thy wisdome to manifest thy Sonne by degrees vnto the world was it thy will thuâ— to hide him for a time vnder our infirmity and what other is our condition wee are no sooner borne thine than wee are persecuted If the Church trauell and bring forth a male shee is in danger of the Dragons streames What doe the members complaine of the same measure which was offered to the Head Both our births are accompanied with teares Euen of those whose mature age is full of trouble yet the infancie is commonly quiet but here life and toile began together O blessed Virgin euen already did the sword begin to pierce thy soule thou which wert forced to beare thy Sonne in thy wombe from Nazareth to Bethleem must now beare him in thy armes from Iury into Egypt yet couldst thou not complaine of the way whilest thy Sauiour was with thee His presence alone was able to make the stable a Temple Egypt a Paradise the way more pleasing than rest But whither then O whither dost thou carry that blessed burthen by which thy selfe and the world are vpholden To Egypt the slaughter house of Gods people the furnace of Israels ancient affliction the sinke of the world Out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne saith God That thou calledst thy Sonne out of Egypt O God is no maruell It is a maruell that thou calledst him into Egypt but that we know all earths are thine and all places and men are like figures vpon a table such as thy disposition makes them What a change is here Israel the first borne of God flies out of Egypt into the promised Land of Iudea Christ the First borne of all creatures flies from Iudea into Egypt Egypt is become the Sanctuary Iudea the Inquisition-house of the Sonne of God He that is euery where the same makes all places alike to his He makes the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure the Lyons denne an house of defence the Whales belly a lodging chamber Egypt an harbour Hee flees that was able to preserue himselfe from danger to teach vs how lawfully wee may flee from those dangers wee cannot auoid otherwise It is a thanklesse fortitude to offer our throat vnto the knife Hee that came to die for vs fled for his owne preseruation and hath bid vs follow him When they persecute you in one Citie flee into another Wee haue but the vse of our liues and wee are bound to husband them to the best aduantage of God and his Church God hath made vs not as Butts to bee perpetually shot at but as the marks of rouers moueable as the wind and sunne may best serue It was warrant enough for Ioseph and Mary that God commands them to flee yet so familiar is God growne with his approued seruants that he giues them the reason of his commanded flight For Herod will seeke the young childe to destroy him What wicked men will doe what they would doe is knowne vnto God before hand He that is so infinitely wise to know the designes of his enemies before they are could as easily preuent them that they might not be but he lets them runne on in their owne courses that he may fetch glory to himselfe out of their wickednesse Good Ioseph hauing this charge in the night staies not till the morning no sooner had God said Arise than he starts vp and sets forward It was not diffidence but obedience that did so hasten his departure The charge was direct the businesse important He dares not linger for the light but breakes his rest for the iourney and taking vantage of the darke departs toward Egypt How knew he this occasion would abide any delay We cannot be too speedy in the execution of Gods commands we may be too late Here was no treasure to hide no hangings to take downe no lands to secure The poore Carpenter needs doe no more but locke the dores and away He goes lightly that wants a lode If there be more pleasure in abundance there is more security in a meane estate The Bustard or the Ostridge when he is pursued can hardly get vpon his wings whereas the Larke mounts with ease The rich hath not so much aduantage of the poore in the enioying as the poore hath of the rich in leauing Now is Ioseph come downe into Egypt Egypt was beholden to the name as that whereto it did owe no lesse than their vniuersall preseruation Well might it repay this act of Hospitality
of ioy and thankfulnesse Hee knew well this meteor was not at the biggest it was newly borne of the wombe of the waters and in some minutes of age must grow to a large stature stay but a while and Heauen is couered with it From how small beginnings haue great matters arisen It is no otherwise in all the gracious proceedings of God with the soule scarce sensible are those first workes of his spirit in the heart which grow vp at last to the wonder of men and applause of Angels Well did Elijah know that God who is perfection it selfe would not defile his hand with an inchoate and scanted fauour as one therefore that fore-saw the face of heauen ouer-spread with this cloudy spot hee sends to Ahab to hasten his Charet that the raine stop him not It is long since Ahab feared this let neuer was the newes of a danger more welcome Doubtlesse the King of Israel whiles hee was at his diet lookt long for Elijahs promised showers where is the raine whose sound the Prophet heard how is it that his eares were so much quicker then our eyes Wee saw his fire to our terrour how gladly would we see his Waters When now the seruant of Elijah brings him newes from heauen that the clouds were setting forward and if hee hastened not would be before him The winde arises the clouds gather the sky thickens Ahab betakes him to his Charet Elijah girds vp his loynes and runnes before him Surely the Prophet could not want the offer of more ease in his passage but he will be for the time Ahabs lacquey that the King and all Israel may see his humility no lesse than his power and may confesse that the glory of those miracles hath not made him insolent Hee knew that his very sight was monitorie neither could Ahabs minde be beside the miraculous workes of God whiles his eye was vpon Elijah neither could the Kings heart be otherwise then well-affected towards the Prophet whiles he saw that himselfe and all Israel had receiued a new Life by his procurement But what newes was here for Iezebel Certainly Ahab minced nothing of the report of all those astonishing accidents If but to salue vp his owne honour in the death of those Baalites hee made the best of Elijahs merits hee told of his challenge conflict victorie of the fire that fell downe from Heauen of the conuiction of Israel of the vnauoidable execution of the Prophets of the prediction and fall of those happy showers and lastly of Elijahs officious attendance Who would not haue expected that Iezebel should haue said It is no striuing no dallying with the Almightie No reasonable creature can doubt after so prodigious a decision God hath wonne vs from Heauen hee must possesse vs Iustly are our seducers perished None but the God that can command fire and water shall bee ours There is no Prophet but his But shee contrarily in stead of relenting rageth and sends a message of death to Elijah So let the gods doe to mee and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time Neither scourges nor fauours can worke any thing with the obstinately wicked All euill hearts are not equally dis-affected to good Ahab and Iezebel were both bad enough yet Ahab yeelds to that worke of God which Iezebel stubbornly opposeth Ahab melts with that water with that fire wherewith Iezebel is hardened Ahab was bashfully Iezebel audaciously impious The weaker sexe is euer commonly stronger in passion and more vehemently caried with the sway of their desires whether to good or euill She sweares and stamps at that whereat shee should haue trembled She sweares by those gods of hers which were not able to saue their Prophets that she will kill the Prophet of God who had scorned her gods and slaine her Prophets It is well that Iezebel could not keepe counsell Her threat preâ—eâ—ted him whom shee had meant to kill The wisedome and power of God could â—â—ue found euasions for his Prophet in her greatest secresie but now he needs no other meanes of rescue but her owne lips She is no lesse vaine then the gods shee sweares by In spight of her fury and her oath and her gods Elijah shall liue At once shall she finde her selfe frustrate and forsworne She is now ready to bite her tongue to eat her heart for anger at the disappointment of her cruell Vow It were no liuing for godly men if the hands of Tyrants were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts Men and Deuils are vnder the restraint of the Almighty neither are their designes more lauish then their executions short Holy Elijah flees for his life wee heare not of the command of God but we would willingly presuppose it So diuine a Prophet should doe nothing without God His heeles were no new refuge As no where safe within the ten Tribes hee flees to Beersheba in the Territories of Iudah as not there safe from the machinations of Iezebel hee flees alone one dayes iourney into the wildernesse there hee sits him downe vnder a Iuniper tree and as weary of life no lesse then of his way wishes to rise no more It is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers O strange and vncouth mutation What is this wee heare Elijah fainting and giuing vp that heroicall spirit deiected and prostrate Hee that durst say to Ahabs face It is thou and thy fathers house that troubleth Israel hee that could raise the dead open and shut the Heauens fetch downe both fire and water with his prayers hee that durst chide and contest with all Israel that durst kill the foure hundred and fifty Baalites with the sword doth hee shrinke at the frownes and threats of a woman doth hee wish to be rid of his life because hee feared to lose it Who can expect an vndaunted constancie from flesh and blood when Elijah failes The strongest and holiest Saint vpon earth is subiect to some qualmes of feare and infirmitie To bee alwayes and vnchangeably good is proper onely to the glorious Spirits in heauen Thus the wise and holy God will haue his power perfited in our weaknesse It is in vaine for vs whiles wee carie this flesh about vs to hope for so exact health as not to be cast downe sometimes with fits of spirituall distemper It is no new thing for holy men to wish for death Who can either maruell at or blame the desire of aduantage For the weary traueller to long for rest the prisoner for libertie the banished for home it is so naturall that the contrary disposition were monstrous The benefit of the change is a iust motiue to our appetition but to call for death out of a satietie of life out of an impatience of suffering is a weaknesse vnbeseeming a Saint It is not enough O Elijah God hath more worke yet for thee thy God hath more honoured thee